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Little Cars With Dash, Classic and Racing

EVEN before opening, ''The Art of the Automotive Model'' at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center (on view through July 12), generated interest from California, the Midwest, England, France, Japan and elsewhere around the world.

The show, of miniature car models, was organized by Michael Graham, a racing car enthusiast and board member of the museum, and Marshall Buck, owner of Creative Miniature Associates of New York.

Mr. Buck, the curator, traces his interest in cars to childhood. ''I was always interested in cars and miniatures,'' he said. ''My first love is cars.''

His hobby developed into a side business, primarily building elaborate models with kits, ''but adding detail,'' he said, ''correcting mistakes or areas ignored by the kit maker and turning it into what I call a great little showpiece. I was making them for myself as a collector, also buying other hand-built models, then occasionally selling some to other collectors.''

At one point, at the strong urgings of a customer, he said, he went into business full-time.

The flashy show of more than 80 highly detailed sports, racing and classic models, ranging in scale from 1/43 to 1/3 actual car size, (from 3 inches to 3 feet long) represents important automobile manufacturers from 1930 to 1970, with a few before and after.

Examples of work by the model-car makers Gerald Wingrove, Bob Hine, Antonetti & Bossac, Manuel Olive Sans, Michele Conti, David Hayward, Carlo Brianza and others from America and Europe, custom-built pieces and limited-edition models from Creative Miniature Associates of New York, Fine Art Models of Michigan and from the permanent collection of the Museum of Science in Boston, take possession of two of the museum's art galleries.

The eye-grabbing models are surrounded with wall-hung black and white photographs by Tom Burnside, a photojournalist for Life and Sports Illustrated in the mid-50's to late 60's. He captured the East Coast racing scene with events as far afield as Cuba and Venezuela during motor racing's ''Golden Age.''

''It was the heyday of automotive racing,'' Mr. Buck said, ''a time when it was more of a true sport. Today it is more commercial.'' Some of the photographs reflect specific cars on display but primarily they show races in action.

The largest model, a red Ferrari in one-third scale, was built from scratch by Pierre Scerri in France, took 12 years to construct. It is a fully functional racing car including, of course, a working engine, gear box and gauges.

The show, however, is centered around the works of Manuel Olive Sans from Spain, considered the best of the model or scratch builders. Five of his pieces are displayed, four on loan from one private collector who commissioned miniatures of his favorites from an extensive collection of sports cars, including a Ferrari, a birdcage Maserati and two Aston Martins.

Every model has a reason and story behind it. A much talked about model, part of a limited edition series made by Creative Miniature Associates, represents Ferrari's first Le Mans winner. (One of this edition appeared on the television show ''Home Improvement'').

A Packard with working doors, hood and rumble seat, built from scratch by a hobbyist, was inspired by the works of Gerald Wingrove. ''It was a case of a professional helping a hobbyist,'' Mr. Buck said.

Another scene stealer, a half-scale Bugatti with an electric motor, is a working child's model in dazzling French blue with red upholstery. It was built by the original Bugatti factory in France. Keeping eager young viewers from climbing in is a challenge.

Other models that tend to gather adulation include a light green 1939 Packard Brunn Touring Cabriolet, one of the more elaborate chauffeur-driven cars with a convertible for the rear seat; a snazzy maroon and black Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Town Car and a black and red Chrysler Imperial Speedster -- curbside model, hand built in a limited edition of 26 for the Chrysler Corporation.

''Doll house minatures and train, ship and aircraft models have had broader acceptance,'' Mr. Buck said. ''But this opens the world to automotive models. It's an exposure.''